March 06 - the other thread ran out of space!!!!!

[laundrylover]

Oh no - the thread ran out of space so couldn't even post a link!!!

Let me know when you find it ladies.......

are they the knobbley ones- look a bit like ginger? if so, peel - fiddly buggers- and cook as spud. approximatly. Kinda nutty taste-I like, dh doesn't.
£50- wooohoooo, that might buy her a beer when she gets to college.

my little angel (devil) drink beer

Thanks for the advice, will give it a go Sunday I reckon.

Welcome back Friz!!! Laughed out loud at your post esp. the flag book and the plane mantra.

Fartichokes make lovely soup too but that duvet will be floating later!!!

Kiah won £50 on the bonds last month - this must be the lucky thread eh??

Saw baby Isaac today - he is doing really well, feeding LOTS and has put on a pound and is only 15 days old! My other sis is a bit down as has found that she is a strep B carrier so is not going to have her planned homebirth...instead will have to go to hosp as soon as labour starts for IV antibiotics. Think she is coming round to the idea though and at least she won't have to transfer to hosp with 3 minute contractions and a DP who goes the long way round and through MANY traffic lights eh??

LOL at the floating duvet! We got artichokes free in our veg box for a month or so...apparently they had a bumpe crop this year and couldn't get rid of them!

Shame about your Sis not being able to have homebirth...glad she is coming 'round to it though. Good news that Isaac is going so well

Update: DH is going to meet/chat with/pray with the vicar (also friend of ours) once a week now and his behaviour has much improved. Seems that much of his restlessness and unhappiness may have stemmed from plain old longinging for his good mates back home . So lucky we are going back, although it doesn't really feel that way atm.

DD and I off into town this am - I keep going in when DD at nursery and DS is with me, and never get all I need done as the trip is always punctuated with mad dashes to the loo and similar. DD is a bit more reliable, and she is v excited about helping me chose a new top, bless her.

x

our duvet is crrently full of DH, he got about 1.5 hous sleep this morning while I took boy to supermarket but other wise had been awake for 36 hrs +. His bike ride went well tho, he enjoyed it and and has done his first century ( and forst night century). Boy and I went dowmn to exmouth to collect him at 9am as boy woke up early (8am) and I had been awake ages by then.

I did my first 10km run yesterday. Not a fast time, felt shit at the end, lunch was nice tho. Ouch, my legs hurt - not quite a crook as DH but neither of us was up to much today. Fortunatly boy has taken a liking to playing imaginary cricket and football on his own.

Good news for my SiL they have sold tehir house and have a planned date for moving to the UK. early sept asuming all paperwork ( 6 passports and 1 visa) comes through OK.

Go on Uni...tell us your 10k time!!!

Good news about your SIL - hope the paperwork gets sorted soon.

Just going to phone sis as she is having probs with Isaac - wouldn't feed and was really screaming last night . He is quite vomitty so am looking up reflux but think it could just be colic (or whingy baby syndrome like Tilly suffered from!). God, she was awful for weeks.....

LL hope its just colic for Issac.

Thanks for the fartychoke advice girls! pondering binning it now instead

Uni well done on the 10k I really must do some morning running now it light (can't do a thing in evenings any more, as dh mainly at shop... can still make gym on a Tue, then have to go and close shop on way home, as we have a mate of dh's running the Tue night as of tomorrow ) So far open 7 days a week and now late nights Tue-Fri.......we're like ships in the night.

Astro that's great news about dh talking to his mate (the vicar) glad he's sorting it all out. You'll feel lots better once you get on the road too. BTW dh's mate did the car boot at Derby Cattle Market yest and recommended it for getting rid of everything and making a bit of cash, so if you end up with lots to get rid of, could be worth a go?? If you have any chests of drawers or bedside tables/nightstands, I'll take a look if I may? as we're in need of both, since dd2 trashed dh's chest a while back....

LL hope its just colic for Issac.

Thanks for the fartychoke advice girls! pondering binning it now instead

Uni well done on the 10k I really must do some morning running now it light (can't do a thing in evenings any more, as dh mainly at shop... can still make gym on a Tue, then have to go and close shop on way home, as we have a mate of dh's running the Tue night as of tomorrow ) So far open 7 days a week and now late nights Tue-Fri.......we're like ships in the night.

Astro that's great news about dh talking to his mate (the vicar) glad he's sorting it all out. You'll feel lots better once you get on the road too. BTW dh's mate did the car boot at Derby Cattle Market yest and recommended it for getting rid of everything and making a bit of cash, so if you end up with lots to get rid of, could be worth a go?? If you have any chests of drawers or bedside tables/nightstands, I'll take a look if I may? as we're in need of both, since dd2 trashed dh's chest a while back....

Uni, you could temm te your time was 7 hours and I would still be v impressed...no way could I run 10ks!

LL, hoping that Isaac settled down soon - crying babies are just such hard work. How is your sis holding up?

Friz - I have heard that Cattle Market one is good. Think its on a Sunday, which would probably be our last day at Church, so it would be a shame to miss that. I need to ask around for other Boot sales, and find out if any others are as good. We will have lots of stuff I think - lots of odds and ends really, not worth ebaying, but all added up it will be worth our while selling them I think.

Furniture - we are selling 2 three seater sofas, king bed, 2 bedside table (each has 2 drawers), 1 chest of drawers (4 big drawers - both my kids clothes fit in them), 1 junior bed, 1 huge sideboard thingy, 1 car (ok, so not really furniture), 2 9-18kg car seats, 1 shoe storage cabinet thing, 5 ikea stools...um...maybe some other stuff? Let me know if you are interesting, I could email you a pic to save you coming down only to realise its not what you're after (a mate might be taking the chest of drawers, but probably not...will check).

Nursery nurse (our favourite) from DD's nursery is applying for a job at Childrens' centre in Ripley - are there a few? Do you use them/it?

Just got back from bowling and dinner with DH - lots of fun, neither of us have been for years...I won both games

Sorry to hear you are still not seeing much of DH Friz - when will things ease up for you two?

Greetings Caddy, if you are lurking

xxx

Ohhhh Astro is there any chance you could upload the photos for me, or mail them to me (easier!) have a friend Meridian actually whom you know, who will be needing a new sofa, as moving house again soon hopefully, so mail those pics too, see if I can tempt her for you

There are a few nurseries in Ripley, there is the state one, Ripley Nursery, which is also a forest school (lessons in the woods like dd1's new school) and then there are two 'Clowns' nurseries too. I think they're all fairly good though, we're lucky with the education system in this area, bar the local senior, which has been badly let down and run down in the last 3 years by the new head....so bad the 6th form got it re ofsteaded before time, with a mass complaint to ofstead, and now its in special measures, from a top listed school, sigh.

Glad you and dh had a lovely night out, its been a few years since we went bowling too I have no idea when we'll get some proper us time at the moment, we did manage cinema to see Hulk on Sunday, which was good, but that was 2 hrs of sitting in dark next to each other I think come Sept time we may be able to get another person onboard, fingers x'd.

Hello everyone else! I'm whittering as there's no one else about to talk to, are you all having fun?

So found out dd2 has a 'boyfriend' today, by the name of Henry, according to Henrys mum dd2 is the subject of his affections, he's forever rattling on about her, thinks she's cute Henry himself is a curly haired angelic blonde, so I don't think she's done too badly there

dd1 was fun at school though..... I was the mother with the screaming child the one who wouldn't go with her startled friends down to the classroom to meet her new buddy, then come back with said buddy to try on the uniform Still on the plus side, her screaming shut up all the other whingy kids and they legged it to the classroom, abandoning their parents and I to the fate of listening to dd1's trying it on screaming She eventually did go, after 10 mins and some reverse psychology from the head (you can't go now, you have to stay with mummy) which soon got her begging to go, gah, why meShe was fine when we got there, and she already does ballet there Her two very good friends who are also going there were gobsmacked at her sudden paddy, as were the mothers, sigh.

Morning all!

Astro, when do you leave???? Good luck with selling all your stuff.

Friz, at DD1 and her school performance!

We went to Fountains Abbey on Sunday - highly recommended if you are up in Yorkshire.

Had a mare of a day yesterday. Meetings morning, afternoon and then evening and the car blew a tyre in the fast lane of the M62 on the way to my first one - erk! Turned up an hour late and covered in oil and then had to get new tyre fitted as only have atemp spare....was then running so late that I didn't have time to come home for tea and had to drive from liverpool to Manchester for eveing meeting with nothing printed out and no tea!!! Got home at 8.30 - starving!!

Oh LL, sounds a very crap day indeed...hope today is treating you much better. Fountains Abbey is gorgeous I agree, we went the first November we were here and loved it.

Friz -is DD1 doing school visits then? I thought she was still at nursery? My DD getting a bit sad and confused about all her nursery mates going to school next year without her

I am in a tizz still/again about DD's Kindy (Nursery) place for next year (school year starting Feb in Aus) - she has 3 places, I need to choose one with no idea where we will be living. My Mum went to the open day of a quite alternative Democtatic School for me yesterday. She said it was very happy, very friendly, fun (a naked child covered in paint!!! Chickens running about, children climbing trees), lots of parent involvement and peer support (apparently children of al ages seemed to be enjoying playing and learning together)...but alo very chaotic, so all in all she was unsure. This is a good result from my quite conservative, Doctor of Early Childhood mother, but a difficult result for me, as I know have no idea what I should do re sending DD there.

Hhhhhmmm. On that ponderous note, I am off to town to attempt to return faulty bra to M&S with no reciept.
x

I found my race time- 1:26:57 I was 59th out of 66. Ho Hum, I can only do better next time surely.
Off for teh weekend. my Grans 90th birthday party tomorro, folwed by 2 nights at inlaws, back on sunday morning for dh to play cricket.
Boy has taken to playing cricket with an imaginary ball ( and bat sometimes) hes JUST like his father. At least he can't brake any thing with a pretend bat.
Fountains abbey is rather nice, dh and I took a trip there just before we left yorkshire- stayed at a dreadfull campsite near a 24 hr quarry. crap nights non sleep.
SiL has hit paper work problem with their move to UK, kids not entitled to UK passports, so more visas needed. I can't quite belive they have left it so late to find this out.

Bum about the car blowing a tyre on M way. well done ye for coping with it.

Uni, surely if there mum is a uk Citizen then they should get Dual cit ship????
Have fun at Grans 90th, good luck with the outlaws

LL {{{hugs}}} for the tyre blow, the M62 is not a place I'd like to have a tyre incident on, it sounds like you changed it yourself? very brave of you, I think I'd have rung for help if I was on my own on a Mway!

Astro, I dunno that school sounds kinda fun to me I think I'd go for it, then if its not your cuppa tea, change your mind at a later date? particularly if you don't end up living near there? you must be able to do that?

Right lets sort out a weekday to meet up shall we Astro and LL, before Astro departs, Uni, don't suppose you'd be able to make it???

So what do you all have planned for the weekend?

I'm working Sat am as usual, then pm will get food for week, then if weather is good, we have a mates bbq to go to in the evening after work is finished, its a bit of a trek to get there (not local) but will go,as don't see mate often enough as it is!
Sunday meeting a mate for coffee in am, then dd1 has 3 mates round pm, which should be fun hoping its not raining, so the garden can be used! (dh working all day Sunday)

Hello all!

Too busy to even lurk... Haven't read any posts so forgive me for saying a general hello and running off.

Now I can find you under 'Threads I'm on' should I happen to find a moment.

I am currently tortured about school choices.

The details are endless and rather dull but the question is keep the middle two where they are (private Montessori, 45 minutes away, we pay 35% of tuition) or send them to the local school (5 minutes away, language support teacher assigned to help with French, shorter hours, FREE!)

I need to tell their school by Monday. (Well by March 4th, 2008 really but they are being VERY, VERY patient with me.)

Oh Caddy tough choice, I'd err on the side of free with a tutor I think, but I'd do this if I was sure that you were staying for a fair while, are you following my train of thought there? otherwise, if your unsure as to hopping off times, if you may be off, might be better to leave them where they are....its a tough choice eh.

mum is Uk cit BUT kids are adopted and father is US cit. so its not automatic.
we shall wait and se what happens.
-free range kindy sounds fun astro, V hippy .
-Caddy- what do teh kids think about teh school options?

I do know exactly what you are saying Friz... No closer to making a decision.

We never know how long we will be anywhere and as much as I love it here, DH HATES it. New York is ever calling but being able to speak French is somewhat essential if my children are ever to be employable in Canada so I am keen to have them learn and this does not seem to be coming along at the current school. (I know that these things take time but they are not actually taught anything in French directly which seems odd given that neither of their teachers speak English well. ) Mother guilt makes me feel awful for even thinking about moving them again but the commute is unbearable and the hours are long as well...

Uni: The kids thought that they really wanted to switch to the local school until the other day when they both announced that they will really miss their teachers and would like to see the local school first. This is not an option at this point--Both schools let out on Thursday.

DS2 is home sick this morning (fever of 39.7 at 4 am) so I will chat with him throughout the day about it, I suppose.

Caddy, that does sound a hard decision. Reckon I'd maybe go for the closer school - no commute is th kind of thing that has a big effect on your lifestyle. If the other school isn't quite working out anyway, I'd change. Am at your DH work though - have they absolutet no regard whatsoever for families? Do they really give you no idea how long a posting is!?

Re our KIndy decision - yes, I am leaning towards sening her to hippy school for kindy, and then we are thinking of H Edding for school anyway. According to my Mu the chaos seemed fun and 'appropriate' for 4, 5, 6 year olds, but seemed that quite so much freedom was inappropriate for 11 and 12 year olds...but seeing as we are only looking at kindy we shouldn't really worry about that.

Looking after two different mates' DDs today, ages 20 months and 4 years, so a full houre here today! I feel a lot of garden play coming on!

x

Thanks again for your support. I wish that I had more time to chat. I am trying to HE ds1 who is at least a year behind his peers despite being bright and articulate and amuse DD2 who is clingy and miserable thanks to her sore mouth. ]

The anesthesiologist rang the other day and said that she cannot even see DD2 for a consultation until September 18. I have also been told that I should expect her to take one look at her and announce that she is too young/small anyway.

I really need to run for the school-run.

Astrophe: My vote is for HE all the way! If you can look past the name the book entitled The Well Trained Mind is FABULOUS! We are all really enjoying it!

Caddy, a thread for you about Geneva here . We are still hoping to come see you btw, but no def plans. Likely to be late
Sept or early Oct, but we will keep you posted. Tis exciting!

I didn't know you were HEdding! Is that a choice, or because of circumstances? I would like to HE u til kids are 6 or 7, then probably school asuming we can find one we are happy with.

Spent a happy day at Play centre with Toddler group mums, then a mates for tea and kids baths, as DH in London for a few days so no rush home! A bit stressed about a good mate on the verge of leaving her H - not fun for anyone

Off for an early night now I think, am a bit knackered.

Just catching up on MN after our short break in London....was seeing how OJ was doing after the funeral and see that Martian Bishop has lost her DH too.

So seems churlish to post and complain about one's family but flippin' 'eck, London was hard work! Kids were overtired and over excited, I was my usual grumpy self and even DH was tired and cranky!! Hotel was good though and Kew was fab in the sunshine. Met up with a couple of old friends which is always good.

Am with Astro and Caddy all the way on this eductaion problem...went to an inset at Tilly's school and had a run in with the headmaster. She is meant to be moving into the new foundation unit (which is now attached to her pre school) but it seems that instead she is enlisted in a boot camp for 4 year olds....all this seems even worse reading about your Forest school Friz and your Crazy Chicken place Astro! That said I know that I couldn't HE - I would prob turn them out into the street by 10am each day. I guess we'll have to see how this school goes and hope it chills out a bit as they get used to the idea of a foundation unit....

Uni, you have all this to come!! Enjoy life whilst imaginary cricket is all the rage.

Friz/Astro - we must fix a date....

Oh yes, its so sad about MB and OJ.

Sorry London was a bit hard LL. Glad you had som nice times with friends though.

Bother about the strict school. Hopefully the head wont set the tone for it, and the teachers will be really good, let the kids have some freedom to play and be kids. It really comes down to having a good teacher I think, so wait and see yeah?

dates:

Wednesday is the best day during the week for us (no nursery), Tuesday is do-able (we can miss toddlers group), Saturdays -not this week or week after, but think the next one is ok (13th?).

Tilly's teacher was there but didn't really say anything altho people tell me that she is lovely. They did say some good things, like they do outside play whatever the weather and that 80% of the time is unstructered play/learning. We did OK with a much stricter system eh??

Will get back to you about dates but thanks for starting us off!

I did a terrible thing today - forgot to go to a planning session that I was running in Liverpool. I was so tired that I went back to bed without even checking my diary. I was mortified when they rang to see where I was. Have rearranged for next week and will have to take a big cake I guess...last week I forgot to pass on a message to DP that his BIL had had a heart atack.....oh dear.